USAAF
13th AF
11th BG
26th BS
Aircraft History
This B-17 served in the South Pacific based in Espiritu Santo and Henderson Field on Guadalcanal.
Shootout with H6K5 Mavis
In the morning of November 26, 1942 this B-17 was flown by Lt. Robert B. Smith on a search mission. They encountered a 'twin tailed four engined Jap flying boat" (H5K2 Mavis) and were involved in a prolonged battle with the flying boat in the air, beginning at 08:50. The H6K5 Mavis was piloted by Lt. Tsuneo Hitsuji and belonged to the 851st Kokutai. It was damaged but also survived the encounter. The B-17 gunner's fired 450 rounds of ammunition during six passes, and suffered damage to the left inboard engine and made an emergency landing at Henderson Field at 14:30. Hitsuji later wrote his side of the encounter: Shootout Between Mavis and B-17 in Saigo no Hikotei.
This B-17 returned to the United States on September 1, 1944.
Referneces
Saigo no Hikotei by Tsuneo Hitsuji, Shootout Between Mavis and B-17
Thanks to Henry Sakaida for additional information
B-17
Shootout Between H6K5 Mavis and B-17
